Buying a new starter; seeking advice...

[Whiskey]

Hey guys, long time no digital-interact. I've been fairly lazy with my Beemer so far but I've decided it's time to get stuck in. I pulled the starter out and opened it up to discover that one of the field coils has burnt out, so I took it to an auto-electrician who told me it'd be far cheaper just to buy a new one.

SO

Any tips/advice you can offer when looking for a replacement? There are two on ebay at the moment, one is from an '81 model (same as mine) the other from an '83. The '83 is a little more expensive but looks like it's in better nick. Is there a discernible difference in power between '81 and '83 starters?

Also, I heard there are Japanese starters that fit the Beemer which are far lighter and more powerful. Would any of these be worth looking into?

Thanks in advance.

[Vegasrandall]

No starters but this may help
http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/partsubs.shtml

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

This is a link to the Nippondenso starter - $350 USD
http://www.motoelekt.com/starter.htm  from this page: http://www.motoelekt.com/ignition.htm  where he also talks about his rebuilding service:

[size=12]"Starters are robust, but over time, the shaft bushings usually develop enough wear to cause internal drag or interference when it tries to turn . This requires too much current from the battery , and frequently there won't be enough left for the ignition system to work . Hard starting can frequently be directly attributed to excessive starter current draw . Starter service includes armature shaft and drive gear bushing replacement, commutator cleaning and truing, brush inspection, and overall cleaning and lubrication. If more serious problems are found, an exact quote will be provided before proceeding."[/size]

Rick is a good guy, and stands behind his products, as a few here will attest.
I am sure he ships to Australia.

The '81 and the '83 used the same starter part number.  I don't know if that means they came from the same supplier.

If you don't already have a online microfiche bookmarked on your computer, you should.  I like RealOEM the best.  Just put your bike's serial number in the field at the top of the page, and click "browse parts".  Then save that page to your bookmark, and it will always come up with your bike.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do?kind=M&series=248&body=ohne&model=R65&zone=USA&prod=19830100&arch=1

[Bob_Roller]

If you go with a used starter, it would be a good idea to take it apart do a cleaning, lubrication and possible brush replacement .

Won't need to go back in there for another 20 years or so .

[Justin B.]

Seems I remember that the difference in starters coincided with the transmission/flywheel/clutch/etc. change.  I think the basic starter assembly was the same but the number of teeth changed...

[montmil]

 +1[smiley=thumbup.gif] on counting Justin's starter teeth... molars, incisors, whatever.

There is a one tooth difference depending on model. One will fit, the other will have to be returned. Count first, then buy.

Monte

[Teo]

Look for a 9-tooth starter.  The 8-tooth starters fit only the early /6s and /5s.  

Bosch or Valeo are the OEM starters, the Bosch being early and Valeo later.

[Whiskey]

Thanks everyone. After consideration I believe I'll go with the cheaper starter from the '81 model, and upgrade to the Nippondenso in the future if I find starting it is a pain. Not really much point splurging on aftermarket parts just yet: I don't even know if I'll be able to get the thing running at all!

Thanks for the advice, I'll let you know how she goes once I've installed the new starter.

[montmil]

Hey, Chewy4x4... Any words of advice for Whiskey?

Hope you got out for a ride on Saturday. Terrific weather down our way.

Monte